While we all know teachers deserve to be thanked all year long, May is set aside as a special time to show even more gratitude to the educators who motivate, guide, and believe in us. So I'll dive right in by shouting out to all the teachers in the trenches making a difference for kids. I tried to keep the overly-sentimental piano music to a minimum and share some truly inspirational videos. Some of the clips in this playlist might make you laugh, and some might make you cry, but all of them should make you feel like a super-hero -- for the work you do every day is the most important work that anyone can do. Thank you!

Actor Edward James Olmos introduces us to his favorite teacher, and talks about the difference teachers can make ... circa 1992.

More Ways to Appreciate Teachers

Whether you are a principal looking to thank your staff, a parent who wants to show appreciation for your child's teacher, or a teacher who wants to show your gratitude to your mentors or other colleagues, there are plenty of great ways to give back to educators. One compelling website, Thanks for Teaching Us, offers a visual display of thank-you notes for educators all over the world, and you can submit your own. Similarly, there are several pages on Facebook where people can post videos or messages to thank their teachers publicly, including the Thank-A-Teacher page by the national PTA. Looking for gift ideas? Check out Education Week's "Sixty-Five Ways to Recognize Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week and All Year Long" article with gift-giving suggestions for administrators, students, and parents, while PTO Today's "Better Ways To Say Thanks" article offers creative ideas for parents to say thank you. Or, perhaps best of all, donate to school projects via great websites like DonorsChoose.org, Adopt-A-Classroom, or Digital Wish. However you choose to express your gratitude, may it come back to you in spades.

Thanks for this great compilation of ways to say thanks! I always found a short note from a student or parent meant far more then the Children First pins or sticky note pads I received (and I love sticky notes).